The Washington critic., 1887-06-23
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

~ have been credited with great
deal more interest in politics than |
really take" said Sergeant. alarms
Canaday to New York Tribune inter.
viewer. CAS- fact my interests are
becoming more and more bound up In
business affairs. The creosoting OF
pine timber for docks and wharves and
for the construction of railroads has
become one Of the great interests OF
the Atlantic Coast. am president OF
company whose works are located at
Wilmington. We have recently
branched out In the construction Of
works at Fernandina, Fla. We take
the yellow pine logs, sixty to ninety
feet In length, put them Into cylinder
retorts and force them full of creosote.
1t preserves the timber against dry and
water rot, as well as against the ravages
of the teredo worm In salt water.
We have sent millions OF feet
of timber for cross.ties to South
America, and there Is prospect
now that we will send 30,000,00 or
100000 feet to France within the
next year. Senators Malone, Butler,
Plumb and large number of promi.
nent men are interested In the business,
which has become very profitable. The
length of the timber which we can
creosote will soon be increased, as we
have just ordered a cylinder 100 feet
long for the Wilmington works. We
shall then have capacity for creosoting
100000 feet of timber day. 9. z.
Huntington Is having q dry dock con.
stucted at Newport News by j. Il.
Nrh 10 4
dock In this country, and all creo.
soted."
~
Parson Newman, who Is now back
at his old charge, the Metropolitan NJ.
L. Church of Washington, tells how a
poet secured hearing. 1t was during
the Hayes administration, says con-
tributor to the Portfolio of the Ameri.
can Magazine. zone night at prayer.
meeting" DR.. Newman says, II called
on good layman to lead In devotions.
Before be began / saw he had drawn q
manuscript from his pocket. but l
thought 1t was to guide him In the
words Of his petition. Soon l was sur.
prised to hear him reading poem to
the Almighty. When he got along q
little l heard him say: We've been In
a maze and now we have Hayes l
Jeeped around and saw that all my
Heck had gotten up from their knees.
did the same, though hesitatingly,
md with mixed feelings of chagrin and
amusement. The good brother never
get the chance to read another poem
In my church."
~
In conversation few days since with
an old resident of Washington, who
was proprietor of large custom and
ready.made clothing establishment on
Pennsylvania avenue, when James X.
Polk was President, says Major Davis
Of the Minneapolis Tribune, he said of
all the great men of that time whom he
knew or had business transactions with,
Polk was the most picayunish, and
Webster the largest hearted. Que day
Webster came In to select cloth for a
dress suit. Almost always, beggars,
especially women beggars, watched
him as he went In and out of his
favorite resorts on the Avenue, and
approaching him with pitiful tales,
never failed to get money If he had 1t.
This time he had hardly got inside the
door when In came poor old woman,
and with tears trickling down her
wrinkled cheeks, supplicated for aims.
Webster was more out Of humor than
was his wont to be, and cramming his
big hand down into his small pants
pockets, brought out piece of money
and said: "1lere, take this, and be off,
or I'll have you arrested It's all |
have got for you" After selecting
the cloth for his suit, he put his hand
IN his pocket TO make the accustomed
advance payment. Turning the pocket
inside out aud looking at It,, he said:
"lf | didn't give that woman a $40
gold piece Well, it's all the same
TN do her more good than could have
got out of III Charge the whole
amount" lie rarely asked the price
of anything, and never intimated that
II was exorbitant as Polk always did.
or course, knowing his weakness Ia
this direction. many trades people im-
posed upon him.
-.
An old story Is thus recalled by
The Philadelphia Record: 1t seems
II
announced his discoveries in the great
West, a Philadelphia Snowman of q
speculative turn undertook to exploit
Fremonts discoveries and at the same
time make little money for himself
30 he came to Washington, and, hiring
shop on the Avenue, proceeded 10 ex,
hiblt Lieutenant Fremonts woolly
horse, captured by the gallant explorer
IN the very heart Of the Rocky Noun.
iains at the risk Of his life" OF course,
II was only an ordinary everyday
horse. with patches Of wool stuck on.
But II took, and the Snowman began
10 make money on H. One fine day
Senator Benton, Frem0nts father in.
law, heard OF the humbug, and started
out, yowing to drive 1t out of town
before evening. Taking brother
Senator with him he marched at once
on the ouemy's shop. The Snowman,
who was standing outside the door,
and who knew him perfectly we'll
had The impudonce to go right on
With his lecture. lie even went so far
as 10 say 10 the crowd: "llerc Is Lieu.
tenant Fromont's father In law, Sena,
Tor benton. Won't you walk in. Sena.
tor, and take your friend with you I
II won cost you q cent" "COmG in,
side" said Benton, siornly, handing
lin "a and sulding IN with his frleul
"Whttu IS this animal :" Here hG
). T.. said the Snowman, beginning nj
.A the beginning Of his lecture again,
~ "siup ' said Benton, In II tone that ad
sNNoiien made the Senate Chamber ring